Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-10-20
COURTSHIP In RUSSIA.
How Beautiful Slavonic Girls Are
Wooed and Won.

Wooed and Won.
Twill tell you story of love-making
of Russia, Of which will endeavor to
draw a pen picture and show my
American readers that the young men
and maidens of my country are in NJ
wise different from those of other and
more favored climes. They are, per-
haps, little more demonstrative, less
given to concealing the feelings of the
heart, and less inclined to regard
money as a necessary consideration in
the settlement of heart affairs. When
Russian girl loves it is with her whole
heart; her love surmounts all obstacles.
Ispeak from experience.
1t is the custom of the Russian young
folks to meet together by appointment
In the long, stormy winter evenings,
selecting the house of each one in turn.
Boys and girls come gayly dressed in
holiday attire, the latter carrying their
looms and linen thread, which they are
supposed to convert into the much
priced linen. These pretty young
misses pass the hours in idle gossip un-
til the time approaches for the arrival
of the sterner sex, when each one hies
to her loom and begins to work most
earnestly, by which means they seek
to impress on the minds of their lovers
their capabilities of becoming good
wives and housckeepers; but this
feigned industry does not last long,
for when the male members have en-
tered the chamber work is suspended,
and pleasure begins by the young men
inviting their friends to join them in
forming circle. This done, they all
join in singing, after which one of the
girls selects her young gentleman (moi
miloi), my love, as she calls him, and
leads him into the middle of the circle,
then walks back and forth, chanting q
love song, in which the rest of tho
guests join. In the song usually Sc
lected she tells of the beauty of the
lover she has chosen; how much she
loves him; how she would leave home
and parents, brothers, sisters ant
friends, and follow him the wide worl(
over. As the song runs, she woult
follow him across the seven oceans Of
over seven high mountains, and res
beneath their shadow, where she coult
enjoy her happiness undisturbed.
So in turn each girls selects her mo
miloi and leads him into the circle
when the same love chanting is re
peated until all the girls have mad'
their choice. Next in turn come th'
young men, who each select partne
and go through the same performance
the whole affair terminating with tn,
dancing of the Russian Cossack.
At the conclusion of this dance eacl
Young peasant escorts the object of hi
choice to her home. At these gather
ings they are as free as the birds of tn
air and take for their mate whomso
ever they will, without any regard to
third party. When the time arrive
that a formal declaration is to. b
made, the youth. accompanied by SOM
member or members of his family, VIII
are supposed to aid materially in oh
tanning the parents consent, proceed
to the home Of his ladylove and ther
makes known his wishes to the fathe
and mother.
The m other, not at oil surprised
usually reads the young man lon
lecture on the duties and burdens
married life, bewailing all the ills an
speaking of few of the blessings, an
ends by declaring her daughter is to
young to marry yet, too young to b
given over to the cruel tyranny OF a
exacting husband. She prefers to Sc
her as free and happy as the birds
her native woods. All this is but
custom which must be observed. S
fearful are they that the young ma
might suppose his bride too easil
won. The suitor, further to conciliat
the mother, now begins to lavish a
kinds of presents ON her, according
his means, at the same time tellln
her how much he loves her daughtt
and how happy he will make her da
ling. A glowing description OF ho'
bright he will make her future lii
follows To his vivid imaginatio
every thing is rainbow lhucd, and in
language SO poetical as the Russian
Is grand and impressive to hear tn
suitor of the daughters hand POI
forth his torrent of eloquent word
The mother listens attentively to Il
burning, soul-stirring language. appa
entity weighing in deep thought all
saws. looking occasionally at the pre-
ents presented to her. and which
much fear are the keys which unloC
the door of her heart She finally glv'
arather unwilling assent with the pr
viso II the father is willing. This is
needless precaution on her part, for
rule the father is only too willing
ease himself of the burden of daug
ter's support
But Won will naturally ask where Il
poor victim is all this time Why'
the next room. of course. where eve
word uttered BY her lover falls III